Controlling Parasite Resistance on Your Equine Farm
- Skill Level
- Beginner Intermediate
- Length Content Access
- 365
- Sections
- 7
- Length
- 7 hours
- Language
- English
- Note
- This course offers a certificate of completion.
Indiscriminate use of dewormers has caused an alarming increase in resistant equine parasites world-wide. Many horse owners contribute to the development of resistant parasites by deworming horses at frequent intervals, year-round, and may be using products that are totally ineffective on their farm.
In this asynchronous, self-paced course, you will learn why traditional deworming practices are no longer effective. Then we will explain an innovative whole - farm approach to controlling horse parasites without adding to the resistance problem, developed as part of the dewormer resistance project conducted by Penn State Extension.
You will learn about common horse parasites--their life cycles and habits--so that you can determine which parasites are most likely to be infecting your horse, based on your horse's age and management, and implement non-chemical practices to reduce parasite burdens on pastures.
You will learn how to do fecal egg counts so that you can determine the shedding rates of individual horses and evaluate the effectiveness of specific dewormers.
Through videos, graphics, and readings, this course will teach you all that you need to know to develop safe and effective parasite management practices for your farm without contributing to the dewormer resistance problem.
Additionally, you will have the option of taking graded midterm and final course quiz zes. When you pass the quiz zes, you will receive a certificate of course completion.
This course was developed by former Penn State Extension educator Donna Faulk, former Penn State Equine Assistant Heather Stofanak, and Penn State's horse farm manager Dr. Ed Jedrzejewski.
- Horse owners
- Farm managers
You will learn how to:
- identify the major types of internal equine parasites and describe the biology, life cycle, and health effects on horses of each parasite
- implement non-chemical practices to reduce parasite burdens on pastures
- conduct fecal egg counts and document egg shedding in your horses
- identify and eliminate the use of products that show resistance on your farm
- reduce the use of dewormers on your farm by strategically deworming the "shedders"
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